The world’s largest defense innovation summit was held in Lviv, attracting investors from the US and Europe. The summit announced investments totaling over $100 million, with significant capital from the US. The event brought together over five thousand participants and about three hundred investors from more than fifty countries, becoming a platform where government institutions, venture capital funds and technology companies discussed defense innovation priorities and presented solutions that have already been tested on the battlefield.
This was reported by Brave1.
“I personally saw that Ukraine demonstrates true leadership in defense innovation. Ukrainians are developing exceptional technologies to protect their country, and American businesses are supplying unique components for the development of this industry. Now is the perfect time for American companies to show courage, leadership, invest, and help save lives,” shared US Ambassador to Ukraine Julie Davis, shared her impressions of the event.
American investment announcements received special attention at the forum. The startup Swarmer, which is developing drone swarm technology, raised $15 million from a group of US funds led by Broadband Capital Investments. Oedipus Inc. announced the creation of the first permanent capital fund in Europe focused exclusively on defense tech, and is already preparing ambitious cooperation with Ukrainian developers.
Alongside American capital, European partners announced their steps. NUNC Capital from the Netherlands is allocating 20 million euros to scale up promising defense companies, the German-Luxembourg Verne Capital plans to invest up to 25 million euros in Ukrainian innovations, and the Swedish Varangians announced a long-term plan to enter the market and the first already closed deal, the details of which will be announced separately. The total volume of new investments exceeded $100 million.
Defense Tech Valley also became a platform for presentations by more than 30 teams from different countries, whose developments are already working on the battlefield.
Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Andriy Lebedenko emphasized that unmanned systems are changing the tactics of modern warfare:
“Today, unmanned systems prevail on the battlefield, both in the air and on land.
We have achieved significant results by implementing them in the Armed Forces. We have the appropriate tactics and statutes. The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine has prioritized a new branch of the military – the Unmanned Systems Forces. They play a major role in high-precision strikes on the enemy.”
The summit was organized by the Brave1 defense innovation cluster. The program included presentations and tests by thirty teams whose developments are used in the troops, as well as thematic panels with the participation of representatives of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and international experts, dedicated to the new architecture of defense technologies, unmanned systems, logistics, and electronic warfare.
Also at the opening of the summit, the First Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine Mykhailo Fedorov stated: “It is in Ukraine that a modern doctrine of war is being formed, where technology plays a decisive role.” And European Commissioner Andrius Kubilius emphasized that it is time for Europe not only to support Ukraine, but also to adopt its experience: “This is not just creating technology, it is building an entire ecosystem of defense innovations.”
The event presented the results of the last year for the ecosystem: the growth of the average investment check in Ukrainian companies from three hundred thousand to one million dollars, the formation of joint educational and R&D initiatives, and the expansion of the network of international partners. During the plenary speeches, the need for transatlantic cooperation was emphasized, in particular, the integration of Ukrainian developments into the European industrial base and the strengthening of the involvement of American institutions and funds in the creation of a global defense and technological ecosystem.
Author: Danylo Pievchev